Both machines use a little too much plastic for my taste, but the higher price point makes the Dinamica a little more unforgivable. Still, the Dinamica has 13 grind adjustments. That really blows the Brera’s five grind settings out of the water. For those of us that want full control over the little details, the Dinamica super automatic espresso machine comes out on top. All espresso machines must be “DESCALED” regularly. Filtered water or bottled water is free from chemical odours but not free from minerals. Using a water softener is the best option for mineral free water. If a water softener is not installed, then the best option is to descale the machine at least every 2-months. Gaggia spa recommends using the Gaggia Descaler for descaling your machine. Do not rely on the machine to remind you when descaling is due. When available, this feature is programmed by the number of espresso's served. The machine cannot sense the variable hardness of water from one part of the country to another. Follow a definite schedule for descaling every two months. Please DO NOT use vinegar or lemon juice for descaling as a residue will remain on the inside of the boiler which will be hard to get rid off and your coffee will end up with a taste of vinegar or lemon. The display is LED push-button, with illuminated icons to make it easy to choose between different options.

I de-scaled the hell out of it, including a full soak in citric acid. (Past caring if it's not compatible with the ally boiler.) You can also use the Puly descaler as we have tested them. You need to make sure that you dilute this. https://www.gaggiadirect.com/cleaning-products.html#!/Puly-Descaling-Powder-x-10-sachets/p/144931872/category=5922063 The machine has default settings, but you can easily make your personal and customized espresso just by following these simple suggestions: Additionally, the Brera has been available for a number of years and has proven to be reliable. What do Buyers Say?Also, to get to the bean hopper with the Brera, you take off and fully remove the lid, whereas with the Magnifica you need to open the hinged lid, which requires another 10cm or so of space. The Gaggia Brera allows you to combine the delivery of the classic espresso with an integrated grinding performed in the instant, giving the best coffee aroma. The Gaggia Brera is equipped with a ceramic grinder (250g) which allows optimal coffee grinding, and can be adjusted for different coffee weights, from 7g to 10.5g. The Aroma Adjustment function allows you to choose the intensity of the flavour, and has four aroma options. The machine also has a special compartment to hold the ground coffee DESIGN All our machine have some form of milk frothing feature, starting from a traditional frothing arm called ' Pannerello Frother'.This means that you can be a real barista and learn to steam and froth and texture the milk for a frothy cappuccino or a caffe latte or a flat white.​This is available on the following models :

Water/steam selector (strangely similar to the post 2015 Gaggia classic one which also failed on us recently - plastic rubbish)

Great for long coffee, but it can't match up to the best manual models for pure espresso

This machine replaces a Gaggia exclusive which I have had for 15 years which has served me very well. So the new machine has a lot to fulfill. So far after 1 week of usage I am not disappointed as the new machine has some advanced features over its predecessor. The only niggle I have is the frothier is set quite high so you need to hold the cup up to it to reach the milk and the water reservoir is smaller but I suppose this is to do with keeping the size of the overall machine down to a compact size. You want to dial in your machine to achieve that perfect shot– The DeLonghi Magnifica offers accurate control over your espresso by letting you adjust shot volume and strength. It also has a built-in burr grinder, and comes with a Pannarello-style steam wand. The best part about this machine is that it has dual boilers, which means you can brew and steam milk without having to wait. You can learn more about the DeLonghi Magnifica in this post. One of my lovely readers has just asked me to let them know what I think about Gaggia Brera Vs Delonghi Magnifica ESAM 4200. Given that I've used both of these bean to cup coffee machines, it makes sense to ask me this – and I'm surprised I'd not already thought of writing a comparison post. The final step toward operating this machine is selecting between an espresso shot or lungo coffee. Fresh espresso should begin pouring into your cup, and when you’ve got the desired amount, just press the coffee button again. My Observations

Unfortunately, there isn’t much headroom when the dispensing spout is all the way up. In fact, I was left with a bit of a sad face when I tried to brew directly into my favorite travel mug. And it’s not even very tall! The compact Brera trades angled sides for rounded corners, which gives this machine a softer aesthetic. The Brera’s steam wand is great for simple frothing but doesn’t create the consistency required for latte art. Representing a true passion for the art of espresso making, the Gaggia Brera showcases Gaggia’s dedication to premium quality. We have live conversations through Chat and Zoom and telephone during week days. Our telephone number is 01422 372554 or 01422 766972

TECHNOLOGY

If you were wanting to compare the Brera to one of the ECAM one touch machines, I don't think that's a fair comparison. If you were wanting a one touch bean to cup coffee machine such as De'Longhi Eletta ECAM 44.660, you'd really need to compare this to one of Gaggia's one touch machines such as the Anima Prestige, or Accademia. To be honest, the only things that really disappointed me were the flimsy manual steam wand and the overall build quality. While the machine’s design feels well-conceived and all parts fit (almost) seamlessly, I couldn’t help but feel like something will end up breaking sooner rather than later. Remove the brew handle (filter holder) and empty dregs [ on manual machines]. DO NOT leave coffee in brew handle when you are steaming milk We found the best espresso came from a combination of the finest possible grind and the two-bean (out of three) strength setting. This resulted in a good, bitter shot of espresso, with a cream that wasn’t too white, at a fair temperature of 64 degrees centigrade. The shot couldn’t quite match the sheer oily richness of the best manual machines’ espresso, so wouldn’t be our choice for a pure espresso shot, but it made a good base for a longer coffee.